Framed
by Sleepingbadgr
Summary: When a new cat appears in the forest homes of GladeClan, SparkClan, ShadeClan, and BlazeClan, cats start to wind up dead with little traces left behind. When evidence surfaces with a body, the clues point to the newcomer. In a desperate attempt to prove his innocence, the newcomer goes in search of the murderer. Will he be able to track down the killer or will he join the deceased?
1. Prolouge

_Aghhh. It's been forever since I've uploaded something on here. Before we get to the actual story I would like to say a couple things. For starters, I won't be uploading as much due to school and other life things, which caused the huge gap since my last upload in the first place. Secondly I know I was in the middle of writing a story "A Burning Hope", but it just wasn't going anywhere I wanted it to. It just wasn't what I was hoping for so I've abandoned it for the time being. I might head back to it and change it up in the future, but until then I will be working on other stories. Anyways, here is what I've come up with so far for a new story._

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An unrelenting darkness filled the frigid night air, leaving little light remaining amongst the trees. Rain spattered down hard onto the undergrowth below, soaking everything to their cores. With the tap tap tap of the rain and the boom of thunder overhead, the night seemed alive as ever. Flashes of lightning erupted overhead as everything huddled up in their dens, keeping themselves warm and dry despite the conditions with a few brave birds cawing into the stormy night air. The ground below the trees quickly became covered with wet, sticky mud that seeped into every pore and crack it could find. Everything was peaceful in its own chaotic way.

Yet that peace quickly disintegrated, washed away along with the rain. A sharp panic flashed through the air and a clutter of noise broke out among the dark shadows. The bracken swished as a lithe shape darted through it, not showing much care for the amount of noise that was created in the process. The leaves and undergrowth swooped past the creature's gaze as it hurried through the rough terrain. A second, bulkier shape swiftly moved after the first, picking up speed as it made up the short distance separating them.

The fast, panic-stricken breathing of the slender shape increased as it heard the sounds of pursuit gaining on it. Using all of it's energy it pushed itself forward, hoping to leave the pursuer behind. Instead it met itself face down in the dirt as the pursuer slammed into it, knocking it with great force onto the ground. After a little roll, tumbling over a few plants and a root or two, the shape landed in an open patch of moonlight revealing the slender body of a tortoiseshell she-cat, eyes wide in a panic.

Stepping out of the cover of darkness, the second shape unsheathed its claws as a beam of light exposed the pursuer. A large, muscular tom with a dirt colored pelt padded slowly towards the downed she-cat. His eyes darted back and forth as he bared his teeth menacingly, the moonlight reflecting off of them exposing their sharp tips.

The she-cat, in a state of panic struggled to her paws as she darted away from her attacker. Not thinking of much besides steering clear of the tom she almost ran straight off the edge of a steep cliff, a few rocks being sent tumbling down the edge, only stopping when they reached the bottom. A low growl behind her forced her to turn and face the tom, a dark ferocity deep in his eyes.

"W-Why are you doing this to me? After all we've been through this is what it has come to?" The cat's voice shook with fear as she gazed at the tom "Is this what you really want?" Not giving a response, the tom just continued in on his target, showing no care in the world at what she was saying. Paw slipping, the she-cat barely managed to keep herself from falling over the edge into the dark shadows that awaited below. "Come on now, w-we can work something out, c-can't we?"

After a short attempt of talking her way out of the situation, she gave it up. Seeing as she was making little progress, the tortoiseshell lunged at the tom in a last desperate attempt of escape. She managed to deal a strong swipe on the cat's ear, but with a powerful blow to her side, she went tumbling down the cliff following after the earlier rocks. Her loud screech was quickly cut off as her body slammed into rock after rock, the life being smashed out of the small body. Coming to an abrupt stop as it landed with a loud crack on the ground below, the now motionless body stared blankly into the dark undergrowth, the dark eyes of the murderer still showing brightly in their deep depths.


	2. The Newcomer

_Hi guys! I finally finished the next chapter to the story. Hope you all enjoy this chapter and had a wonderful Thanksgiving with your family!_

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Bright, warm sunshine flooded the den as Dawn blinked his tired eyes open. He looked sleepily around the den, which was a small cave just big enough to hold the family. He noticed that his mother and littermates were gone already. He quickly heaved himself to his paws and stretched before padding outside, the warm sunshine washing over his dark bluish-grey pelt. Dawn blinked a couple times, his eyes adjusting to the morning light. He spotted his brother Spark, and his sister Honey play fighting nearby with their mother Snow, gazing at them lovingly, but protectively.

"Hey Dawn's awake!" Spark let out a delighted squeal as he looked at Dawn lumbering out of the den "Come join us!" He called happily as he pulled himself away from his sister.

Dawn padded up to his littermates eagerly "What are you guys playing?" He yawned while his eyes shone with excitement.

"Were playing badger," Spark started before Honey interrupted him.

"I vote Dawn to be it!" She exclaimed, shoving past Spark.

Dawn battered her side lightly "I'm always the badger!"

Spark stepped forward "I'll be it," He told his littermates. Dawn nodded in agreement and watched Spark lumber forward menacingly. He had his fur all fluffed up, making him look a lot bigger and tougher than he actually was. His eyes darted from Dawn to Honey as they prepared their attack. Honey began to crawl towards Spark's side as Dawn headed for his front paws. When Spark took his eyes away from Dawn, he pushed his paws off the ground as he slammed into Spark's paws with Honey attacking from the other side. Together they managed to wrestle Spark to the ground and stood triumphantly over him "Ha! I killed the badger!" Honey laughed "I am the strongest cat ever!".

Dawn gave her a playful shove "I did most of the work," he claimed.

As the kits argued about who was the strongest, Snow purred and padded over to them."You guys seem hungry," She stated when Honey's stomach growled "Want to learn how to catch prey?"

All three of the kits bounced up in excitement "Do you really mean it?" Honey chirped, forgetting her argument with Dawn.

"Of course I mean it. Now come on," she called as she bounded off into the woods, checking every once in a while to make sure her kits weren't too far behind. She found her way easily through the lush undergrowth, stopping occasionally to let the others catch up. Once when there was a large log in the middle of their path she had to stop and help them over it.

When the sun was well over their heads they stopped underneath an old oak tree. Snow gave them a moment to catch their breaths before starting to explain how to hunt "The most useful tool of a hunter is your nose. Tell me what you can smell Dawn."

Dawn closed his eyes and scented the air "I smell," he paused for a moment "mouse!" His tail swung back and forth excitedly as he began to pad forward.

"Not so fast," Snow meowed blocking Dawns path with her tail "You need to know how to properly hunt. Otherwise you won't catch anything. Honey, show me a hunter's crouch." She watched as Honey dropped into a crouch "Keep your tail off the ground. You don't want to alert the prey of your presence. Like this"

After a short while, all three kits had gotten the crouch down. Snow padded up to them "Time to see if you guys can catch something. Don't go too far and when you're done meet back here."

The kits all darted in different directions excitedly. Dawn stopped a short distance away and scented the air. The mouse he had smelled earlier hadn't gone far. He dropped into the crouch he had just learned and silently crept through the thick undergrowth. He spotted the small creature nibbling on some seeds at the bottom of a tree. When he was a few tail lengths away from the mouse, its head jolted up. Dawn realized it had scented him and before it could run back to its hole, he leaped. He snapped its neck quickly and stood up happily, the limp creature hanging from his mouth.

Dawn was about to head back when he spotted something behind a copse. Curiously, he padded past the trees and stopped when he saw what it was. A large twoleg house stood in front of him. The walls of the house were covered with cracks that spread like lightning in the sky. Some plants were clinging to the walls as if claiming it as the forests territory. He padded up to it and was about to head through the open door when the taste of mouse reminded him that he had to go back so they could eat together.

With his back turned to the house, he slowly padded back towards the meeting place. When he arrived the others were already there waiting for him. Honey had returned with a squirrel about twice her size while Spark had caught a small water vole at the river nearby. Snow complimented them on their catches and revealed the finch she had hunted. They all settled down and began to take hungry bites out of their meal. When they had finished they talked about how their first hunt had been. Dawn had left out the part with the twoleg nest from his story.

After a while, Snow pushed herself to her paws "We should head back to the den. It's almost night," She meowed before ushering her kits towards the den. When Dawn entered the den, Snow was already curled up in their nest. She let the kits curl up next to her.

Honey let out a slight yawn "Tell us a story," She asked, her eyelids beginning to droop.

"Alright. I'll tell you how I met your father. I had been a wandering rouge who had been kicked out of every place I had tried to settle. One day I found a nice spot to settle down in a forest far from here. I had began to make a nest in a hole under a large tree when a cat landed on my back, knocking me to the ground. I struggled against the cat, but he managed to keep me pinned to the ground. A few moments later I heard some more cats pad up to me and I started to panic. I could feel the first cats breath as he growled in my ear 'Who are you and why are you on Oakclan territory?' I managed to stammer something and another cat began to speak 'We should take her to see Birchstar.' The other cats agreed and forced me to my paws. I turned around to see the cats and guess who the one who pinned me was?" Snow asked, a purr in her throat.

Spark lifted his head "Our father?"

"Correct. At the time he was the deputy of Birchclan. It was a nice place and the cats of the clan were nice once you got to know them. When they brought me to the camp, a large and muscular tom padded up to me. He said that his name was Birchstar. He asked me the same kinds of questions that I had been asked earlier in the forest. Eventually he offered me a spot in the clan. I was taken aback at the offer and so were the others. I had been happy to accept, knowing I could finally settle down once and for all."

Dawn laid his head down on his paws. He shut his eyes and began to drift off to sleep "What happened then?" He heard Honey ask.

As Snow spoke, Dawn let sleep wash over him and Snow licked the top of his head gently before continuing to speak "Well you would think your father would have been nice to me when I joined, but…."


	3. Trespassing

_Not much to say here, so, hope you guys enjoy this chapter and all criticism is welcomed._

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The warm scent of fresh kill drifted around the nearby trees. Dirt flew through the air as Cedar dug a small hole in the ground. Stashing his recently caught mouse, he buried it and sat up, enjoying the serene grove. The sun was high up in the sky by this time, with plenty of birds and other creatures roaming about in search of food. A few days had passed since he had arrived here, and he was starting to settle in well. He had found a decent place to make a den in a copse towards the middle of the twoleg place. A few kittypets had stopped to greet him as they spotted the newcomer.

Not far from the edge of the twoleg place was where he currently spent his time to hunt. Ignoring his eerie warning a few days ago, he decided the forest here was the best place to find prey. _Why should I avoid a place like this? There's prey everywhere!_ He thought as he scented the air again and made out the overwhelming smell of prey all around him. Picking up a fresh squirrel trail, he dropped to a crouch and slowly made his way towards it. As he closed the distance between his prey, he checked to make sure he was downwind of his quarry. Catching sight of the plump squirrel, he managed to get a couple tail-lengths from it. While he was preparing to leap, the squirrel's head shot up and after a look around, it took off. Letting out a hiss of annoyance, Cedar gave chase. The squirrel began to climb up a nearby tree. Giving one last leap, he managed to snag his claws into it's tail. Dragging it back to the ground, he quickly killed it with a bite to it's throat. Satisfied with the prey he had caught, he retraced his steps to gather his earlier mouse before heading off towards Dove's home.

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With a gasp of shock, Cedar awoke with a start. Taking a quick glance around, the tom could sense that everything was safe. With his fur still bristling, he pushed himself up into a sitting position. _Must've been a bad dream,_ he thought as he tried to remember what he had been dreaming. After a moment of concentration he shook his head, not being able to recall any specific details. It wasn't long since he had visited Dove the afternoon before. He had brought her some freshkill and with some convincing, managed to get her to try some. They had talked most of the day about this and that, although he didn't tell her about what had happened with Daisy. Giving his pelt a quick washing, his fur lying flat again, he jumped out of his den.

He had set up his home in a hole located a bit above the base of a tree. Inside was some moss for bedding and a couple herbs which he had learned about on his travels. Turning away from the den, he realized it wasn't even dawn yet. He knew he should probably try to get some more rest, but his paws decided otherwise, leading him towards the edge of the forest. He was partly surprised he ended up here. Staring up from where he stood, he could see the stars shining brightly over the towering trees. The scents of the night forest surrounded him and he felt relaxed. Taking a few pawsteps, Cedar started to make his way into the trees. Taking a deep breath in, he could smell the plants all around him and the tempting scents of prey.

After a bit of walking, his thoughts began to wander. Not paying much attention to where he was going, he caught his paw on a root and stumbled before slamming his head straight into a tree. "Mousedung!" He hissed under his breath as he shook his head. Standing back up, he took a look around him. It had felt like he had been walking only a moment, but in reality he had been walking for a while. _I couldn't have gone that far, could I?_ Knowing that he should be heading back, Cedar padded back to the root he had tripped on, and started off on his walk. This time he was paying much more attention as to where he stepped.

Rustling in the undergrowth nearby made him stop and scent the air. Opening his jaws, he couldn't make out anything that was out of the usual. Picking up his pace, Cedar continued on his way. The snap of a twig sounded behind him. He cast a glance over his shoulder, worry starting to prick at his pelt. Being met with nothing once again, he continued on. Daisy's earlier warning rang through his head, making his panic start to grow. Another sound to the side of him, another in the back, and at this point he was nearly running through the trees, jumping at every little sound. Not far in front of him was a sharp drop off with a river below. Hearing sounds from what seemed like everywhere, he turned around to face the bushes, unsheathing his claws and letting out a growl, hoping to scare off whatever was lurking there.

"Who's there? Show yourself!" He growled, his voice shaking with fear. The sounds died away abruptly and the only movement he could see was a small bush shaking. Ready to have something lunge out at him, he was surprised to see what did come out. Embarrassment flooded through him as he spotted a mouse sprint out of the bush and run down a nearby hole in the ground. _Really? Scared by a mouse?_ He gave his chest fur a quick lick before letting out a slight chuckle. Relaxing once again, he prepared to start walking again.

Suddenly a weight slammed into his side, sending him sprawling to the ground. He let out a yowl of surprise as a large cat pinned him to the ground. Twisting and turning, Cedar tried unsuccessfully to shake off his attacker. He tried to push himself back on his paws, but the cat was weighing him down, pressing his muzzle into the dirt. During his struggle to get free, he noticed multiple other cats slipping out of the undergrowth around them. "Get off!" He growled, fear and panic edging his mew.

Sharp claws pricked at his neck fur and Cedar stopped struggling, turning his head as best he could to face the cat on top of him. "You're trespassing on our territory!" The tom hissed threateningly in his ear. Trying to stop his rising panic, he wondered what his options were. _Maybe if I could unbalance him, I might be able to make a break for it._

"What should we do with him?" The tom pinning him down asked as he turned to face the others. "Should we chase him off?"

"No. Not with everything that's been happening lately. Seedstar will want to see him. She'll decide what happens." Meowed a she-cat who stood nearby, watching them. Flicking with her tail in a direction, she continued, "Harestreak, Elmpaw, carry on with… Oh mousedung!" She broke off as Cedar gave a hard shove upwards, knocking the cat off of him.

Scrambling to his paws, he darted off into the trees, hearing the sounds of pursuit hard on his paws. He made his way through the forest, barely keeping out of range of the pursuing cats. Jumping a small stream, he continued onwards. As he rounded a tree, he came to an abrupt halt as he spotted another cat not far in front of him. At the same time, the other cat spotted him and let out a yowl of alarm before charging towards him. Cedar braced himself as cats charged at him from both sides.

Finding himself once again planted on the ground, he let out a sigh of defeat. This time, he knew, there wasn't another chance of escape for him. Pawsteps sounded all around him as more cats appeared, trying to figure out what was going on. The sounds died off and the crowd backed off as one cat came up and spoke "What have we got here?"


	4. Captive

_Now that the school year is almost over I should hopefully have some more time for writing this. I hope you guys enjoy this chapter and all criticism is welcome._

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A loud clamor erupted in the forest clearing as Cedar was quickly ushered into the center of a large crowd. Eyes stared at him from every direction, some curious and others threatening. The fur on the back of his neck stood on end, his gaze darting back and forth nervously from cat to cat. A few cats, he noticed, were still blinking sleep out of their eyes as they emerged from their dens, awoken from the commotion.

A slender she-cat appeared in front of him, waving her tail at him as a signal to follow. He guessed that this cat was the leader as everyone seemed to make way for her. As he made his way after her, two broad shouldered toms took up positions at his flank. Pushing through the crowd, the small procession made there way to the edge of a clearing where a cave, about two tail-lengths tall, stood. The cats accompanying him padded in confidently and seemed relaxed, though they stayed close to him.

The she-cat circled in a mossy nest placed at the back wall before laying down, "Please, make yourself comfortable." Nodding his head in acknowledgement, he sat down, still shocked. Leaning his head down, he smoothed his chest fur in an attempt to hide his fear. As he did so, a silence had enfolded over the den. He looked behind him and spotted the two toms staring at him unblinkingly. Returning his gaze once more to the leader, he waited for her to speak.

It took a few more moments of silence before she finally spoke. "New around these parts?" she inquired, her voice steady and calm. Her gaze was gentle and full of unguarded curiosity as she looked over him.

Swallowing down some of his nervousness, he managed to stammer a quiet "Yes", his voice sounding partly subdued. The cat narrowed her eyes, as if she didn't believe him, and stared into his. Unsure what to do, he continued speaking, wanting to prevent anymore uneasy silences, "My n-name is Cedar. M-May I ask w-who you are?".

The cat opened her eyes wide again before responding. "I am Seedstar, leader of GladeClan. What were you doing in our territory?"

"I was j-just taking a walk. Maybe catch a mouse or two," Cedar meowed, shuffling his paws in the dirt on the ground.

Seedstar looked thoughtful for a moment, gazing towards the den wall. Opening her mouth, she stated simply "From what I've heard, you didn't seem to be causing much trouble in our territory."

A flicker of hope stirred inside his chest. "Does that mean I can go?"

"No."

The surge of hope died off inside him almost as fast as it had risen, fading back into the fear and disappointment. He lowered his head until he was staring at the ground.

Seedstar obviously could tell what he was feeling and meowed soothingly, "It is just temporary. You will be safe and fed here. I promise it won't be long before you can leave." She turned her head away and he thought he heard her murmur "whether that is a good thing or not..."

With a flick of the leader's tail, the other two toms got up and nudged him to his paws. They herded him out of the den and across the camp to a mostly abandoned part of the clearing. There was an old fallen log laying here with some stones scattered next to it. The toms pointed with their muzzles toward a mossy nest with their muzzles. "That will be yours for the time being," one of them told him. "We'll bring you some food later on."

Nodding his head in acknowledgement, he circled in his nest before settling down. He watched as one of the toms padded away while the other sat down nearby, obviously meant as a guard. Resting his head on his paws gloomily, he thought to himself _What have I gotten myself into?_

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The chilly night breeze wafted around Cedar, barely ruffling his pelt. The sound of distant creatures and the soft snoring of nearby cats reached his ears as he sat in his nest, his eyes gazing up into the endless night sky. He felt utterly exhausted from the previous night's events, but he couldn't find any solace in sleep. Instead, his mind just wandered, unsure what to make of his situation.

It had been a day since he had been "temporarily" taken prisoner. He had spent most of that time by himself, lost in thought. The only time anyone came near him was when they were bringing him food or sent to guard him. Despite this, he still got many stares from the rest of the clearing. Everyone was curious, yet they seemed on edge, like they thought he would leap at them anytime. _They have a right to be cautious of me as a newcomer, but surely they wouldn't be this wary?_

He jumped as he heard someone say his name nearby. Glancing up, his eyes met that of his guards. "Sorry, I didn't mean to startle you," she meowed apologetically, her eyes brimming with kindness and curiosity. Blinking his eyes, he looked at her, unsure when his previous guard had been switched out. She was a young, slender tortoiseshell cat, her fur neatly groomed. She stood there staring at him with big, round green eyes.

Smoothing his ruffled fur, he stared at her quizzically "What do you want?"

She took a step out of the shadows that had partly hidden her body, "I saw you were having trouble sleeping so I thought you would like some company, besides your own thoughts," she replied, a gleam in her eyes.

Letting out a quiet sigh, he nodded his head in agreement. "That would be nice."

Almost instantly, she padded over to him, reclining onto her haunches next to him. Together they just stared up at the stars for a moment. "Beautiful, aren't they?" Not waiting for an answer, she just continued "I love to just come out at nights and watch them."

Casting a glance at the she-cat, he asked "What's your name?"

"It's Willowblossom. You're Cedar, right?"

"Yeah," he replied quickly.

"Well, nice to meet you Cedar. I heard that your 'introduction' to the clan wasn't exactly the best, so hopefully this one was better." She meowed kindly.

Blinking his eyes gratefully at her, he returned his eyes to the stars. He was thankful for some company on the quiet night, especially some that weren't hostile. They sat there silently for what felt like forever, but frankly, he didn't really care. After a while he broke the silence. "What exactly is a clan?" he meowed, trying to make conversation. "I've heard a bit about them from some loners, but not much."

Not needing time to think, she starts off on her explanation. "There are four clans, GladeClan, SparkClan, BlazeClan, and ShadeClan. A clan is basically just a group of cats. They follow and uphold the warrior code, willing to sacrifice themselves for the clan. We all follow and listen to our warrior ancestors, Starclan, and defend our territory."

"Wait, did I hear you correctly? Did you say you talk to the dead?" Cedar interrupted, disbelief clearly showing on his face.

"Yes. Well, not all of us. The medicine cats and leaders do. The leaders are also granted nine lives from them."

He nodded his head slowly, not sure whether he believed her or not. _Sounds more like a kit's tale._

"Hard to believe, but it is true," she said, amusement in her voice as she could tell what he was thinking.

As he was about to say something, his eyes filled with a sudden curiosity. Feeling more comfortable with this cat, he decided to change the topic. "How come you aren't as edgy as everyone else? They all act like I'm going to steal their pelts right off of them." he ventured.

He started to regret asking when he saw a dark look flicker over her otherwise gentle face. She stayed quiet for a few seconds, looking as if lost in thought. "I guess I should just tell you. You'd find out soon enough anyways." Taking a deep breath she continued. "We've been losing cats these past couple moons. Someone has been picking them off one by one. And not just from our clan, but the others as well." She eyed him gravely, "That's why Seedstar wants to keep you here. To make sure it's not you."

Shock flared through his body, causing his body to stiffen. "I would never do anything like that!" he meowed, his eyes wide.

Resting her tail on his shoulder, she meowed reassuringly "I don't doubt you, but we can't just take your word for it."

"I guess that makes sense," he mumbled under his breath.

"Now that I've told you about the clans, how about you tell me a bit about you. What's your story?" She smartly changed the topic to a happier one, the cheeriness entering her voice once more.

Grateful for the change, Cedar contemplated what to tell her. Making up his mind, he began his story. "It started when I was younger…"


	5. The Attack

_Summer break is finally here. My school just got out today and what's a better way to celebrate then uploading another finished chapter. It's finally starting to get to the parts I have been wanting to write for a while. Hopefully you all enjoy this chapter and all criticism is welcomed._

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As the sun rose and sunk on the horizon, a flurry of rain had swept relentlessly over the bountiful newleaf forest, soaking everything thoroughly through, from the roots of the trees that lay hidden in tangled masses under layer upon layer of dirt to the well disguised and guarded clearing which made up the majority of camp. It had been raining like this for days, not giving even the slightest of hints as to when its end would be upon them. There would be an occasional break from the downpour in which the sun tried to make an appearance in the darkening sky, yet would be thrust back behind the cloud layer as the storm once again took up its bombardment of rain over the forest.

When the storm had begun to show its incoming presence, Willowblossom generously offered her assistance in helping Cedar move his makeshift nest into a more sheltered spot nearby. The protection the new spot offered exceeded that of the last, but it hadn't been enough to keep his mottled colored pelt from getting soaked. From the mutual disgust at the horrid weather that the rest of the clan expressed, he could tell they couldn't escape the soaking that the storm provided either. Cedar and Willowblossom had both been spending more and more time together as the time passed. Despite the unpleasant rain, they usually sat together talking and joking the dreary mood away. She always offered to take on guard duty whenever she wasn't busy with patrols or hunting. Cedar could tell that Seedstar knew that something was afoot from the look she threw at the young pair when she passed, but never questioned them to his knowledge.

Cedar tuned his thoughts back to what Willowblossom was saying. She was sitting besides him, her paws tucked neatly under her belly with her pelt lightly brushing his. "...and the dog thought it was small enough, but it learned real quickly its mistake as it hit the bramble bushes instead!" She let out a small mrrow of amusement at the memory. Turning to see what his reaction would be, she realized he wasn't paying much attention. "Are you okay?" she questioned in a gentle voice as she saw the distant look that had engulfed his eyes.

Shaking his head quickly he dragged his drifting thoughts back to the present once again. As the days passed slowly around him with him confined to the camp, he began to long for something to do. Lounging around all day as a prisoner wasn't exactly at the top of his list. Glancing up at the sky, he could see that there was a break in the rain coming. The sun had been creeping out from amongst the thick clouds for the past couple of moments. _Hopefully the storm will be over for good this time,_ he thought hopefully, though he knew that it was still a long ways from being over.

"I'm fine...just can't stand being stuck here with nothing but talking to do all the time." He meowed, trying to keep his voice cheerful. Seeing hurt flash slightly in her eyes he corrected himself. "I meant that I can't sit around all the time. As much as I like talking and sharing stories, I need to stretch my legs, I need to do _something_." He meowed, hoping she understood the feeling that had taken ahold of him. Glancing over his shoulder, he rested his eyes on the trees beyond the camp boundary which seemed to beckon to him.

Nodding her head, the gleam back in her eyes. Willowblossom looked thoughtful for a moment, her tail twitching slightly on the moist ground. Glancing anxiously around the clearing, she meowed seriously "I may have an idea for that, but it's very risky."

Looking doubtfully at her, he waited to see if she would explain what she had planned. Instead of an answer, she pushed herself up to her paws and padded silently towards a spot behind his nest, hidden from view of the rest of the clearing. She lowered her nose to the dirt covered ground and began to search the base of the camp wall.

After what seemed like a lifetime, Willowblossom lifted her head abruptly before pushing her paw into the wall "Through here is a secret way out of the camp. I don't think anyone knows about it." She meowed hastily, her pelt standing erect from her worry. Suddenly she slammed her muzzle right next to his "You can go for a bit if you stay close to camp and are back shortly. _Very_ shortly."

"I-I will," he stammered in surprise, taken aback by the offer. If he wanted to he could just leave and never come back, and yet she still was willing to trust him. Trust him enough to let a possible killer back out there. As he begun to push his body through the tunnel, he turned around to face Willowblossom. "You're putting a lot of trust in me. Why?"

Shaking her head slightly, she met his look directly "Because I believe you aren't the one who did any of this, and I understand what it must be like to be stuck here all day and night." She shuffled her paws on the ground before continuing, "A-And because I-I-I…"

She was rescued from having to finish the sentence by something much worse. A low growl sounded behind her and Cedar's eyes bulged with undisguised fear. Blocking the way towards the clearing stood a broad shouldered tom, disbelief and anger in his eyes. "What in Starclan's name do you think you're doing?"

"S-Sprucefur? It's not what you thi.." WIllowblossom began only to clamp her jaws shut. She lowered her gaze to the ground as Sprucefur's gaze bored into her, making her fur stand on end.

Scraping his claws across the dirt, he looked as if he was ready to blow, like a blast of thunder across the sky. "You were about to let a possible murderer just wander freely outside the camp." He hissed, his gaze darting over Cedar's pelt, making his fur stand on end. His voice softened lightly as he looked once again at Willowblossom who seemed smaller than ever, "You mousebrained fool."

Meeting Sprucefur's gaze, she dared herself to challenge him, "We m-may not know of his innocence, but we don't know of his guilt either."

Shaking his head as if he couldn't believe his ears, Sprucefur tried to remain a partly calm composure. "Haven't you noticed how there hasn't been any deaths since we captured him? I don't believe it's a coincidence."

"But we don't know about the other clans. For all we know they may have lost someone." Willowblossom argued, struggling to keep her voice steady.

"I guess we shall wait and see then, won't we? The gathering is only a few days away." he meowed, a bit of harshness still in his voice.

"I guess we will."

Cedar looked uncertainly between the two warriors, too shocked to say anything. His mind was a whirling jumble of chaos as thoughts of what would happen next filled his mind. Would he be punished for this? Would Willowblossom?

Letting out a sigh, Sprucefur padded over to him "We may as well get along with this. A few minutes outside to stretch your legs and that's it." he stated sternly.

"You mean you're letting him go still?" Willowblossom stared in just about as much surprise as he was feeling.

"Someone 'ought to take him. If someone doesn't he'll just go on his own now that he knows about this." And with that he pushed through the hidden exit, signaling for him to follow. Casting one more glance at Willowblossom, he rushed after Sprucefur. The trail they followed zigzagged through the trees, leading over stones, uncovered roots, and fallen trees. He did his best to keep up with the rather brisk pace that was set on the journey in the woods, though his time confined in camp had made it more difficult. The sun had made it's way finally out of the clouds for the time being and shone down on the dampness of the forest. Sprucefur came to a sudden stop ahead of him and Cedar slowed to a halt behind him. He watched as Sprucefur opened his jaws and took in a deep breath, inhaling the pungent forest scents that wafted through the air.

Finally he padded forward into a small clearing, a rock planted firmly at the center. A faint circle of sunlight laid upon it, drying the top of the rock. They made their way towards the rock and both stopped to rest in the warmth, though they stayed a good couple tail-lengths apart. The rock had begun to dry when they laid down and the water, which at first was uncomfortable, soon dried away completely. Quiet birdsong could be heard echoing through the silent trees, knowing just as well as the rest of the forest that the break in the weather wouldn't stay for long.

After a few moments of awkward silence between the pair, Sprucefur's voice made him jump "My sister may not have the best judgement," he growled slightly, distrust still evident in his yellow gaze "But don't you even dare try deceiving her or I'll be the one to flay you."

"I wouldn't dream of it," Cedar promised solemnly, meeting his gaze.

Narrowing his eyes, Sprucefur studied him for a moment. With a slight twitch of his tail, his nervousness was displayed. He didn't like it when cats tried to figure him out, tried to delve into his thoughts. It unnerved him.

Almost as suddenly as he went searching, Sprucefur lifted his head and let out a snort of laughter. "You like her!" He exclaimed, his tone mocking him like the sound of a bird that managed to escape his claws. The truth burned through him and he felt a wave of embarrassment. "You like her! You think she likes you back, don't you?"

Lowering his ears defensively, he tried to keep a steady gaze with his tormenter, but the mocking look that was thrown at him made him flinch away. Glancing down at his paws scuffling on the hard surface, he tried to find words to respond to him. "So what if I do?" He muttered, not raising his bowed head to look at him. The yellow gaze burned into his pelt, making it feel as hot as fire.

"You truly are a mouse-brained fool. She wouldn't have anything to do with a cat like _you_."

Anger rose inside of him, overpowering his other feelings. Rising to his paws, he let out a hiss "What's that supposed to mean?" The smug look that was plastered to the tom's face enraged him. Unsheathing his claws, he took a threatening step forward. "I'll wipe that look off your face."

Pricking up his ears, Sprucefur gazed at him for a moment with a challenging gleam in his eyes. Then the gleam faded and the fur on his neck stood on end. His eyes filled with something new that surprised Cedar, but didn't do anything to quench his rage. "Shut up," he meowed quickly, glancing towards the tree line.

"You started it and now you're so keen to end it. Come on you mouse-heart."

"I said shut up!" He quietly hissed, urgency in his tone.

The anger started to ebb away as he realized the seriousness of the situation. Dropping into a crouch along with Sprucefur, he tried to figure out what was going on. A loud _bang_ sounded nearby, almost making him jump out of his fur.

"I'm going to check it out," Sprucefur whispered as he headed towards the sound, the previous hostility no longer present in his voice. "Stay here. If you even think of leaving, I promise you you won't make it far," he called as quietly as he could over his shoulder. With that he pushed his way into the surrounding undergrowth and disappeared.

Not daring to move a single muscle, Cedar crouched there for what seemed like an eternity, straining his ears to see if he could hear anything. _Nothing_ , he thought silently to himself, unsure if that was a good or bad thing. The silence lapsed around the clearing, tension filling the air. Even the birds had stopped chirping and the clouds were heading back towards the sun. His fur began to tingle with nervousness as he continued to wait for him to return. _What is taking him so long?_

Thunder cracked above his head as the storm began to take its hold again. Deciding that he waited long enough, Cedar began to make his way along Sprucefur's scent trail. Pushing his way into the forest, he traveled as quietly and as fast as he could go. Raindrop after raindrop splattered onto his mottled pelt until his fur clung to his body. The scent trail began to fade and he was edging along panic. _What if I can't find him? What if a patrol finds_ _ **me**_ _?_

Out of the blue, a heavy weight landed on top of him, knocking the breath out of him. Sharp claws slashed at his pelt and a screech of pain managed to escape his throat. Thrashing around under the heavy weight, he managed to move his head out of the way of a killing bite. _Whoever this is, they want me dead!_ He could feel numerous wounds bleeding all over his back. To his luck, the attacker fell off and almost at once Cedar made a run for it. He could hear the pursuer right behind him, keeping pace behind him. The cat was almost close enough to feel the breath on his fur. He didn't pay much attention to his surroundings and instead focused on running. An outstretched paw managed to land a swipe down his flank, but didn't do much to stop the chase. A flattened trail laid in front of him and he made his way onto it. The grass was bowed from countless paw steps and he knew it must be the trail to the entrance to the camp. Even after the sounds of pursuit faded away he kept running, afraid of the silence.

The guard stationed outside the camp spotted him quickly and let out a warning call. Before he could do anything, Cedar shouldered his way past him into the camp clearing. Gasps of shock erupted from the cats who sat in the little shelter they had. He stood in the center of the clearing, the rain washing his blood down to the muddy ground beneath his paws. Darkness swam at the edge of his vision, but he fought to stay upright.

A rush of pawsteps behind him let him know the guard had made his way to see what was happening. The cat let out a threatening hiss, but quieted down as Seedstar made her way out of her den "What happened?"

The blood trickled through his fur and he took a shaky breath. Ignoring the hostile stares from around him he began to speak. "S-S-Snuck out of ca-a-amp, attack-ked, lo-o-st Spr-ru…" His voice trailed off as he collapsed into the darkness around him, the loss of blood getting to him. The last thing he remembered was Willowblossom's face staring at him with pure shock and horror from across the clearing.


	6. Blame

_I finally finished the next chapter. I hope everyone has had a great summer so far. I know I have. Anyways, hope you all enjoy this chapter and all comments and criticism are welcome._

* * *

 _Something's not right here_ , the thought rang throughout Seedstar's head as she sat perched on the ledge outside of her den, the cloudy sky hanging above her. It had been a couple days since Cedar turned up at camp, all battered and bloody. When he had collapsed in the clearing, Sedgetail, the medicine cat, had brought him to her den. With some poultices of herbs and cobwebs, he had recovered partly from his attack.

Questioning him didn't explain many of the questions that were running through her head. She had had him run through what happened that day, which he told her as much as he could, though she didn't know if she could believe his story. The only other witness to what had happened outside the camp hadn't shown up since.

When Sprucefur hadn't returned back to camp before nightfall, she sent out a patrol of some of the best trackers in the clan to find him. Yet they all returned empty pawed. Even her deputy hadn't been able to follow the scent trail for long. "The trail just vanished," she had been told, a grim realization settling over her.

A voice behind her brought her thoughts back to the present. "It's time to be leaving for the gathering. Everyone else is ready to leave," Driftfeather meowed, dipping his head politely.

Nodding her head at her deputy, Seedstar rose to her paws and took a moment to stretch. She made her way towards the small group that awaited at the camp entrance. She decided to leave most of the clan behind in case any problems arose. The group going consisted of a couple warriors, apprentices, the medicine cat, and the elders. Making her way to the front of them, she swished her tail as a signal to follow. Setting out at a brisk pace, they made their way towards the grassy clearing where the gatherings were held. Behind her she could hear the uneasy yet somewhat excited murmurings between the accompanying cats. "I remember when gatherings weren't so nerve wracking as they are nowadays with this whole mess," she heard one of the elders complaining.

Driftfeather padded besides Seedstar, keeping pace. "Hopefully the clouds clear soon or we may not be able to hold the gathering," he commented. Lowering his voice he continued, "Could the clouds be a sign that something bad is going to happen?"

Shaking her head, she met her deputy's eyes, uncertainty showing in her eyes despite her best attempt to hide it. "I fear that something bad has already happened."

With that Driftfeather returned his gaze forward and kept silent, looking as if lost in thought. Finally they reached the edge of the clearing where she signaled everyone to stop. She could see that the rest of the clans, SparkClan, ShadeClan, and BlazeClan were already gathered.

Yet this wasn't like ordinary gatherings. _Something's not right here_ , the thought returned to her as she looked over the cats. Most of the cats seemed to be hanging back in what looked like shock and horror. The other clan's medicine cats were all huddled around something on the ground while the leaders sat together murmuring to one another with their heads close together.

"Stay here," She ordered the rest of the cats as she pushed her way slowly into the clearing. At once all eyes were glued to her like honey and the uneasy murmurings died off to silence. No one dared to say a thing. Taking a few tentative steps, she made her way towards the spot where the medicine cats were huddled. The youngest one, Birchlight from Sparkclan, padded up to her slowly and blocked her path. "I-I'm so sorry. There was nothing w-we could do," she stammered, sadness evident in her usually bright amber eyes.

Pushing her way gently past the medicine cat, she approached the soaked shape that laid huddled on the muddy ground, feeling as if a stone was lodged in her belly. The medicine cats all backed away from her, leaving her alone with the body. Lowering her head in grief, she didn't even have to see the cat's face to know who it was.

She stood there over Sprucefur's body for what seemed like an eternity, not saying anything. She hardly even noticed when Driftfeather padded up and rested his tail comfortingly on her shoulder. After a few moments she lifted her gaze to meet his. The look in his eyes reflected her own feelings. Shaking off the grief, she turned back towards the bushes where the rest of her clan were slowly making their way out of.

Driftfeather's voice made her turn back around. "Look what's under his claws," he meowed grimly. Taking a look, she noticed a few tufts of fur snagged under the unsheathed claws. Looking closer she noticed they were a mix of orange and white fur, and at once she knew whose it was. Disbelief filled her mind, not wanting it to be so.

The leaders said nothing as she approached them. "My clan will be returning home," she said quietly. They nodded their heads and she continued. "I know who did this. We'll make sure he pays for this and… and for all the others," she growled, unable to keep her voice from shaking with a mixture of anger and grief.

"Make sure he suffers, just like the rest of us," came a low growl from the oldest of the leaders, Ashstar. "He caused all of us enough grief. He killed my mate, so it's time he learned what it feels like."

With that, Seedstar padded back towards the undergrowth surrounding the clearing, summoning her cats to her. A group of the warriors hoisted up Sprucefur's body and gently carried him on their backs. Together, all the cats started on the grim journey back home.

* * *

Back at camp, all was calm. Most of the cats were fast asleep or relaxing in the open clearing. Some of the cats were sharing stories and talking while others worried about how the clouds were still covering the moon. Cedar and Swiftblossom stayed towards his makeshift nest. Swiftblossom had been telling him about gatherings and what they were as they waited for the cats to return. Everything seemed peaceful, but Cedar knew that it wasn't. He knew that Swiftblossom was worried about her brother, but she refused to show it. She tried to seem happy, yet she did a poor job at pretending.

At this point Cedar had begun to doze off, his head resting on his paws. Besides him lay Swiftblossom looking as if lost in thought. He was unaware of how much time had passed before the sound of a multitude of cats awoke him. _They must be back from the gathering_ , he thought as he lifted his head. Yet something felt...off to him.

Swiftblossom must have felt the same way as she cast a glance at the camp entrance. "Why are they back so early?" After a moment of thought she just shrugged it off, "They probably couldn't hold it since the moon is still covered."

Cedar couldn't help but feel there was something else to it. The air was filled with tension and for a split second he thought about backing out through the secret exit. He wanted to trust Swiftblossom that it was nothing, but he couldn't be sure. _I guess I'll just wait and see what happens_.

So that's what he did. He sat there for a few, flicking his tail back and forth impatiently. After a couple moments two toms approached him. One of them he recognized as Driftfeather, whom he talked to once, while the other one was someone he didn't know. The two of them grabbed ahold of him and began to drag him towards the main clearing. He hissed in a mixture of fear and anger, trying to break their grasp. Swiftblossom was on her paws in an instant. "Stop! What are you doing?!"

Swiftblossom let out a growl when they didn't listen to her and took a step towards them. Yet Seedstar padded in front of her, blocking her path. "Stand down, Swiftblossom," She ordered, a slight hint of regret in her tone. Swiftblossom let out a hiss of annoyance and clawed the ground, but stayed where she was.

The two toms finally ceased dragging him like dead prey across the clearing. Shaking dirt out of his pelt, he made his way onto his paws. He glared challengingly at Seedstar as she stepped towards him. "Mind telling me why I was just dragged against my will across the camp?"

She seemed to ignore his question as she began to talk, "I wanted to trust you. From the first day you were brought here, I wanted to believe it wasn't you." A realization as to what was happening dawned over him. He interrupted her before she could continue talking.

"You're joking right? You think I'm the killer?" He meowed in disbelief. "This is absurd!" he meowed when she nodded her head. "I've been confined to this camp for about a moon now. How could I have done anything?"

Swiftblossom made her way to stand beside him. "What proof do you have of any of this?"

Driftfeather pushed his way forward to stand besides Seedstar. "He wasn't in camp all the time. Who do you think was the last cat to see your brother alive?" He waved his tail backwards to where Sprucefur's body had been laid on the ground.

She took a step backwards in shock and grief. "N-No… It couldn't have b-been h-him." Her already wide eyes grew wider as she looked at Cedar then back at her brother's body.

"Look under his claws," Driftfeather growled, glaring at him.

Hesitantly she made her way towards her brother's body. She hung her head low in grief at the sight, looking as if she couldn't bring herself to look at him, but she continued to the body until she could see under the claws. She whipped her head around to face Cedar. Her face was filled with pain and anger. She opened her mouth as if to say something, but nothing came out except a faint cry.

A few cats padded over to her to comfort her. Cedar looked around one way then the other, panic starting to build inside of him. He cast a shocked look at Seedstar as she came forward. "I-I didn't do this! I didn't do any of this!" He protested, taking a step backwards.

Seedstar shook her head. "I am sorry it has come to this, but I'm not sorry to put an end to it."

The clouds that had been covering the moon had parted, the moonlight shining down on the clearing, lighting up her unsheathed claws at the last second before she lunged. With his second of warning he rolled to the side quickly. As Seedstar barely missed him with the lunge, landing next to him, he slammed into her side, sending her sprawling to the ground. A few drops of rain began to fall over their heads. _I can't fight them all!_ He thought as he backed away towards the camp wall. Without thinking he turned away and bolted to the camp wall. Not having to look hard he found what he was searching for.

He plunged into the gap in the camp wall, heading out into the forest. The rain at this point was getting harder until it was a complete downpour. The outraged cries of cats behind him were soon drowned out by the rain as he ran with all his might away from there.


	7. Seeking Help

_Well, here it finally is. After a few months of procrastination, school, and other stuff, I finally got off my lazy butt. Anyways, here's the next chapter. I will try to get the next one up sooner than I did with this one. Hope you all enjoy and please leave a comment. All criticism is welcomed._

* * *

The strong scent of cat filled Cedar's nose as the downpour ensued outside his hiding spot. He could barely hear the faint sounds of cats running through the undergrowth in search of him. Luckily for him the rain would make his scent almost impossible to track. His belly fur was pressed deep into the muddy ground underneath the tree he had taken refuge under, leaving an imprint of his belly there. A hole in the bottom of the tree had been just big enough for him to squeeze in.

He almost jumped out of his fur when he saw a dirt colored paw land in front of the hole followed by a nose. Managing to keep himself from making a noise, he sat there in silence. The cat outside was sniffing the ground near the base of the tree. _Please don't look in here!_ After a moment or two the figure moved away. Apparently whatever the cat had smelled wasn't what they had been looking for so they moved on.

After a few more moments, Cedar dared to poke his head out from his hiding spot. Casting his glance to and fro and seeing nothing, he pushed his way slowly out into the open. Shaking some mud from his pelt, he began to trudge through the trees, hoping he found somewhere familiar. He was still unacquainted with the area so he just picked a direction and went.

Wandering through the trees, he noticed everything looked mostly the same to him, besides the searching cats. He couldn't see anything that stood out as different. Trees rose up on each side with bushes lacing around the edges. A few fallen logs laid among the plants and a river ran off nearby. After a few more steps he came to a hasty stop. Backing up slightly, he glanced down at the drop off that led to the river. _I know this! This is where they first found me!_

With a sense of familiarity, Cedar began to follow the river. He remembered following the river for a while but not sure how far or if it veered off. Either way, he just went straight in hopes of finding his way back to twolegplace. With tired paws and battered fur, he half ran half stumbled along. A rumble that sent an acrid smell to his nostrils, though hard to distinguish through the rain, confirmed he was near. He had made it back to twolegplace, surprisingly in one piece. With his head down, he made his way quickly up the blackpath, his eyes being attracted to all the familiar sights. He spotted a few cats he had met hurriedly looking for some shelter, but he did his best to avoid them.

About at the middle of the twolegplace he spotted his own den. Though drenched in the downpour, it looked roughly how he had left it. Except there was one thing different. This time there was a cat sniffing around it. _Probably checking to see if it's abandoned so they can escape the rain. That's my den, not theirs._ Holding back his slight, inconvenient anger, he stomped towards the cat. "Hey, what'd you think you're doing?" he growled threateningly. The cat whipped its head around in shock, shaking water droplets all over him.

Spitting in annoyance, Cedar was about to make a rude remark, but bit his tongue as he recognized the face that stared at him. "Dove? Is that you?" When she gave him a nod he dipped his head in embarrassment. "I am so sorry about that," he apologized.

"It's fine, but…" Dove broke off for a moment "I thought you left forever ago. No one has seen you in about a moon. I've been checking for if you came back. And then this rain started out of nowhere" She let out a slight purr. "I knew you wouldn't have left without saying goodbye."

"Dove…" _I hate to bring her into this but do I have much choice?_ "Dove, I need your help."

She tilted her head to the side questioningly. "With what?"

Taking a deep breath he flicked his tail towards her twoleg nest. "Can we head somewhere more sheltered than here first?"

Nodding her head in joyful agreement, Dove led the way along the blackpath, trying in vain to stay as dry as she could.

* * *

Dove looked at Cedar with a shocked look as he told her what happened. "You're joking, right?"

"Why would I joke about this?"

They had reached her nest rather quickly. Together they sat under the overhanging roof that protruded from the nest a couple of tail-lengths. Here they were protected from the pouring rain.

She flicked her tail nervously. "D-Did you do it?"

"Of course not! I would never do anything like that!" Cedar protested.

She stopped talking and took a moment to think. _I believe him, I really do, but what does he expect me to do? I'm only one cat. How can I help him?_

While she was thinking a sudden breeze blew through the rain. Cedar stiffened up instantly as he scented the air. He stood up hastily, his eyes full of panic. Snapping back to the current situation, Dove looked over at Cedar. "What's wrong?"

Cedar looked at her, wide eyed "I can smell them! They're here looking for me!"

Dove stood up and looked around hurriedly. Signaling with her tail to follow, she led him towards the side of the den. A few lush bushes lay there, surrounded by sweet smelling flowers. She urged him on until he went in as far as possible. When a slight rustling sounded behind her, nervousness filled her and she turned around to face the new guests.

"Hello there," The first tom meowed, muscles showing despite the harsh rain. On his sides were two other cats, one a dirt colored tom and the other a slender she-cat with gentle blue eyes. "Peculiar time to be outside, isn't it kittypet?"

"Oh hush it!" Scolded the female cat. The tom opened his mouth to say something, but realized it wouldn't help anything. She jumped down off the fence and met her gaze. "Sorry about my companions harshness. My name is Sedgetail and that is Driftfeather and Harestreak."

"My name's Dove," She stated quickly, trying to keep her voice from shaking. She eyed the two toms who started sniffing the ground. _Please don't find him!_

"Sorry about the interruption, Dove, but we have been looking for someone. Have you seen anyone strange or new around here?"

Thinking fast, she replied "No I haven't. Sorry if there's not much help here." She felt herself shaking noticeably, and tried to stop but failed.

Sedgetail looked at her sympathetically, noticing her shivering. "You must be cold. You should head inside your nest and warm up before you get sick. If you see an orange and white cat, please avoid him and try to find us." With that she nodded to her two companions who were still sniffing around the garden. They quickly bounded over to her and they all headed on their way. As they were about to head back over the fence, the dirt brown tom leaned over and whispered something to Sedgetail and cast a glance back at her. Then they were gone. _Back to where they came from, hopefully_.

A few moments later, Cedar poked his head out. "Are they gone?" With a quick 'yes', he pushed his way into the open. "That was too close. They didn't know I was here, but they had to have known I'd been near here. They'll probably keep an eye out here to see if I'm around."

Dove looked over at him, panic-stricken. "Those cats… they're the ones that want to kill you?" He nodded his head and she muttered under her breath, "May luck be on your side."

Cedar obviously heard and padded up to her side. "You mean _our side._ I can't solve this without you."

As much as she didn't want to be a part of this, any of this, she could see the fear, pain, and determination in his eyes and knew she couldn't just sit back and not help. Shaking her head slightly she sighed. "Come on, let's get inside."


	8. Confrontation

_Here's the next chapter done. I plan to write atleast one or two more, but I won't be doing it during November. I am participating in NaNoWriMo this month and won't be available to work on this. Hope you all enjoy and all criticism is welcomed._

* * *

The rain that had relentlessly besieged the outside realm had started on its course of decline, leaving the onlooking clouds to cover the sky, blocking out the majority of the sunshine. Dove and Cedar, the two of them spared from the soaking weather, had slept through the dreary night, only knowing too well that whatever laid in store for them tomorrow could well enough be their end. They could practically feel the tension building in the air. As they emerged into the crisp morning air, the pair of them prepared to tackle the day's tasks.

"Do you remember where to head to?" Cedar asked, double checking that she knew the plan.

"Yeah I think so. The south side of twolegplace, right?" After seeing him nod she carried on. "I'll listen for anything that could help us track down the killer." After a short pause she glanced at him, concern displayed clearly in her amber eyes. "What about you? Will you be alright?"

He looked as if he was going to speak, give a sugar-coated promise they both knew he might not be able to keep, but he clamped his mouth shut. After a moment of thought, he shook his head. "I can't promise I'll be alright. I know we're approaching the end of this chapter. I can feel it. I just don't know if it will have a happy ending or not."

Dove took a step towards him and rested her muzzle on his shoulder. She felt the warmth of his fur brushing against hers and whispered, "Be careful, for me." With that she gave his shoulder a quick lick before backing away.

That's where the two of them parted ways, uncertain if they would be lucky enough to see each other again, Cedar heading towards the forest and Dove heading further into the twisting depths of the labyrinth that makes up twolegplace. Ignoring the worry that hung in her chest, she navigated through the streets with endless gardens that resembled their neighboring gardens. It got to the point where she almost got lost herself among them, though her rough knowledge of this part of twolegplace kept her on the right track.

She usually avoided this part of twolegplace, due to the shady and sinister nature of the cats that called this area home. Cutting through her thoughts, the sound of approaching paw steps surprised her. Instinct drove Dove down a narrow alley and underneath a nearby metal bin. The smell of reeking garbage wafted up and around her, making her scrunch up her nose and gag. _I don't have time for this_ , she groaned inwardly as she kept still, peeking out of a small hole in the pile to see who she had hid from. Two rough looking cats entered the alley and took up sitting positions near the bins. _Just my luck._ Casting a glance around, they attempted to make sure no one was listening in on them, though they didn't notice the peering eyes of hers.

"Is it all in place?" The first one asked, his voice barely above a whisper.

"It should be. He guaranteed us he would secure his spot tonight." Murmured a larger tom, visible scars covering his face.

"Can we still trust him?"

"He's proven himself so far. No reason he would turn on us now," After a short pause he went on. "He assured me personally that he was taking care of 'business'. He has everyone chasing tails after some random tom." This caused a slight mrrow of laughter to escape their throats.

 _What are they talking about? They couldn't possibly be talking about…_

The two toms stopped talking abruptly as another pair of paw steps came into hearing range. The first tom dropped to a crouch while the other just sat there calmly with his eyes shut.

"Who you all talking about?" Came a silky smooth voice as a she-cat came into view. Her pelt was slick and neatly groomed, unlike her companions. _What's a cat like her doing with cats like these?_

The obviously hostile tom settled down as he seemed to recognize who it was. "Oh, it's you. I thought you were an intruder."

The she-cat padded up to them. "Who would even consider intruding here?" She looked thoughtful for a moment. "Though I did catch a strange scent as I was heading here. Probably just a lost kittypet. We can mess with them later if they're still around." She flicked her tail across the first tom's muzzle as she turned towards the larger tom., "Now what were you two talking about, Acis?"

The second tom opened his eyes "We were talking about that clan cat, what was his name? Fare, hear, hare…" After a moment of thought he remembered. "Oh it was Harestreak!" Dove let out a gasp before clamping her mouth shut hurriedly. _It was one of their own that's behind all this! I have to find Cedar._

"Hush, keep your voice down. You don't know who could be listening." Scolded the first tom.

"We checked for anyone before we came here." Acis snorted.

As he opened his mouth to make another retort, the she-cat lifted her tail to his muzzle for silence, her ears flicking towards the bins. "Seems you didn't look hard enough."

Panic flowed through her body as her eyes locked with theirs. The cats began to prowl towards her and she knew she had to do something, and fast. A glance around at the towering brick buildings on each side and she knew she would have to make a run for it. _No way to climb out on the sides._ On her way out of her spot she slammed into one of the bins, sending it flying towards the cats. She decided that was her signal to run and charged further down the alley. Bolting around a corner she prayed it wasn't a dead end. To her relief a wall low enough to climb came into sight. She wasn't even focusing on if the cats were still following, just that she needed to run.

The distance was closing fast between herself and her escape route.

Fifty tail-lengths.

Twenty-five.

Ten.

Five.

With one powerful leap, she jumped up towards the top. Trying to gain a pawhold, she kept herself from falling back off. Almost at the top is when a sharp pain and pressure erupted in her tail. Letting out a yowl of pain, she looked down at the she-cat who had snagged her tail in her jaws.

"Not so fast, Kittypet!"

Kicking her back legs frantically, Dove tried in vain to knock the attacker off. Another yowl escaped as she began to slip down the wall.

Fear engulfed her as a third yowl erupted, but this time it wasn't from Dove. A group of cats were streaming over the wall towards the attackers. The pressure on her tail faded and teeth met her scruff, hauling her up the rest of the way. She gasped for breath on shaky legs as she listened to claws slashing and teeth meeting fur below. A few furious hisses sounded and then silence.

"Are you alright there?" Glancing upwards, Dove met the eyes of the cat that pulled her up to safety. He was staring down at her with concern evident in his eyes. "Y-Yeah, I think so." As she steadied herself the other cats jumped up the wall besides her. In total there were four cats, and by the scent they came from the forest.

"That's the last of those cats for a while." Stated one of them.

"Pesky rogues, always picking for fights."

"Wait, I know you." The voice of a tom spoke up as he turned to face her. "You were one of the kittypets we met yesterday. Dove, right?"

She nodded her head at the muscular tom, recognizing him as Driftfeather. She gazed around at the other cats. _Luckily Harestreak isn't here_ , she thought, not recognizing the other tom from the earlier patrol.

"What were you doing here so far from your twoleg den?" He asked, a hint of suspicion in his tone.

Ignoring his question she remembered the danger Cedar was heading towards. "I need to talk to your leader." She meowed hurriedly.

Confusion lit up all the cat's gazes. "What about exactly?"

Dove hesitated for a moment. _Should I tell them? I could use the help, but would they believe me?_ "Cedar's being framed. The real killer is H-Harestreak." She blurted out before she could change her mind.

The reaction she got from them was unwelcoming. Their helpful attitudes turned quickly into hostility as they hissed in disbelief. "How dare you make accusations like that!"

"Who do you think you are Kittypet?"

"What proof do you have of this?" Questioned Driftfeather, being more reasonable than the others seemed to be.

"Yeah, what proof?"

Dove swallowed, unsure what would happen if she couldn't convince them. "Those cats you just fought off, I overheard them talking about something. A plan of some sort against the clans. T-They said that Harestreak was working for them."

A young looking tom, only about eight moons old by the look of him, glared at her. "Of course they did. And you're just the only one who heard it. Did anyone else hear it?"

After looking at the others he returned to face her. "For all we know you could be making this up to protect him. My father would never do anything like that!" He growled as he unsheathed his claws.

"Why else would Cedar stay here?" Dove questioned, fighting back her frustration.

Driftfeather raised his tail for silence. "Elmpaw has a point. You were the only one here to hear them. And how can you explain how Cedar's fur was under one of our clanmates claws when we found them d-dead?"

"We lose fur all the time! It can get snagged on a bush, a fence, a whatever. It wouldn't be too hard to find a piece and shove it under." Dove protested.

Driftfeather still looked uncertain. "Even if we believe what you're saying is true-"

"Which it isn't!" Interrupted Elmpaw.

"If it is true, how could we prove it?" He questioned, a staid look upon his face.

"Why don't we go ask him?" Dove half said, half hissed.

He looked thoughtful for a second before replying. "It could be worth a shot. Let's hear his defence to this claim." Signaling with his tail to follow, Driftfeather jumped off the fence and headed off at a steady pace, the rest of the patrol hard on his paws.

Mud still covered the ground, even in the forest under the protection of the forest's canopy. Uneasiness swelled up inside Cedar as he once again set foot in the forest. It hadn't changed much, still feeling unwelcoming towards him. Even now it felt as if he was being watched from hidden eyes deep in the jungle of undergrowth. The hairs on the back of his neck stood on end as he made his way further towards the cats who still wanted nothing more than him dead.

He wasn't too sure on what he was planning to do. All he knew was that he had to find some evidence that he was being framed. Some way to prove who the true killer was. Ahead of him loomed a flat rock at the center of a clearing. _I know this place. This is where Sprucefur brought me. Maybe there's something here._

Parting his jaws, Cedar inhaled the lingering scents that hung in the air. He remembered lying on the rock besides Sprucefur and then leaving in search of him. _Which way had I gone?_ He found a direction which he thought was right and he followed the slight, almost unnoticeable, path that laid there. Not far along he noticed spots where the bracken was flattened and broken. Some fur clung to the branches, some of it his, some of it some other cats'. _Who has a dirt-colored pelt? Elmpaw does, but he couldn't do this, could he?_ Then it hit him. _It's not Elmpaw, it's his father! It's Harestreak!_

Cedar hung his head in shock. _It was one of their own that did this. It was one of them that killed Sprucefur. It was one of them that tried to have me killed._ Determination flooded through his body. He wasn't going to sit around beaten. He was going to end it. Almost as in response a strong gust of wind hit him, carrying the recent scent of Harestreak. _It's fresh. He's near here!_

Narrowing his eyes and getting into a crouch, he made his way slowly through the undergrowth, his senses alert for anything and everything. After a few moments of silence noises of fighting reached his ears. A loud screech, a hiss, a pained yowl, sounds that made his steps slow in apprehension. He inched his way forward, step by step until he could peek out of a bush to watch the scene that unfolded in front of him. Harestreak was planted directly in front of him with his claws unsheathed, standing over a badly beaten she-cat. Mud and blood mixed together in her fur, almost making her unrecognizable, though scenting the air still revealed who it was. It was the medicine cat, Sedgetail.

He narrowed his eyes as he watched Harestreak raise his claws to her throat. "Any last words? No?" Cedar knew he had to intervene and fast before he made his finishing move. Lunging out of his hiding spot Cedar tackled him away from Sedgetail. The two of them rolled together on the ground for a moment before separating. They glared at each other for a moment, trying to steady their breathing again. "There's the cat I've been searching for!" Scowled Harestreak, his teeth bared menacingly.

"Harestreak! You were behind all of this? This killing? This framing?" Cedar took a threatening step forward. This was the cat that tried to ruin his life. Not just his but all the clan's lives. _He killed Willowblossom's brother!_

"It was nothing personal, well, that's a lie. It was slightly personal." He gazed at Cedar and let out a small mrrow of laughter. "And here I thought I would have to find you myself. Seems you've done my work for me."

Cedar glanced over at Sedgetail who had gotten to her paws. "You aren't getting out of this one, Harestreak." He stated, returning his look at him.

"Are you so sure about that?" He hissed, his tail lashing in excitement. "Once I finish with you two, they'll think I avenged her death, that you were the killer. I will be a hero to all the clans!" A furious hiss sounded to his side as Sedgetail lunged at him.

"Sedgetail, no!"

Too late. Harestreak ducked down low and with one smooth swipe, slashed his claws down her stomach. She landed on her paws with a heavy thud, the blood beginning to seep out. Swaying on her feet, she took a tentative step forward before collapsing. She let out a few choked coughs before finally staying still. Despite his shock, Cedar felt the rage building up inside him.

"Your turn." Came Harestreak's voice.

That set him off. That was his signal for attack. He thoughtlessly flung himself at him, taking a swipe at his ear. When that one missed he swung another one, then another, and another. He threw a relentless amount of rage filled swipes, hoping to land one and then another. After a few of these, Harestreak pushed forward instead of backing up. He landed a heavy blow on his side, another on his cheek, and then kicked out his legs. The blows sent him backwards, landing on the ground. A well aimed jump and he landed squarely on Cedar's back. Claws pierced his fur, causing a yowl of pain to escape. Cedar rolled on his side, loosening the painful grip on him. Pushing himself up with all his might, he managed to shake his attacker off.

The two of them rushed to their paws, their eyes locking for a moment. Cedar took a moment to rethink his strategy. _That was too close. I can't let my rage overtake me._ He took a deep breath and took a moment to size up his opponent. Harestreak was much larger than him and definitely more skilled of a fighter. With his moons of training, there was no way a direct attack of brute force would win.

Harestreak was the first to make a move. Cedar reacted quickly and dodged out of the way. As Harestreak landed, he swiped his claws through his dirt colored pelt. The blood welled up underneath his claws for a short time before flinging off as his claws swung back into the air. Before he could get out of range teeth caught his tail. With a yowl he pulled himself forward, yanking his tail away from the painful grasp. As he whirled back around claws met his forehead, temporarily blinding him as blood flowed into his eyes. He shook his head to clear his eyes, only to be greeted with the sight of Harestreak charging at him.

The force of impact sent Cedar sprawling to the ground, claws planted firmly on his chest, keeping him pinned down. He attempted to struggle away although it was in vain, knowing any second would be the killing bite.

"Goodbye, Cedar."

With that teeth met his scruff, plunging deeper into his throat. Blackness began to swim at the edge of his mind, defeat taking over. _Is this how it ends, with him getting away with it all?_ He sent a short prayer to whatever was out there waiting for him after death. Yet strangely at the same time the teeth entered his neck they vanished, only barely having time to break the skin.

Gasping for air, Cedar staggered back onto his paws, ignoring the small trickles of blood on his neck. To his surprise a patrol of warriors were streaming into the clearing. Following after them was Dove, determination lighting up her eyes. He got even more confused as he saw them cornering Harestreak, all besides Dove and a young apprentice. He quickly called the two over and they rushed towards Sedgetail's unmoving and battered body.

They stared down at the body, a wave of relief flowing over him as he spotted the faint rise and fall of her chest. "She's still alive, but I'm not sure how long she'll have. We need to get her back to the camp, now."

He looked over at Dove who was standing in shock. She shook her head before heading to one side of the body to help lift her up.

"Look out!" Called Driftfeather from the side as Harestreak rushed towards Cedar.

Cedar froze, panic seizing him. As he lunged with his claws outstretched, Cedar watched as a flash of white fur flung in front of him. A splash of blood shot out as claws tore through flesh. Dove cast a quick glance at Cedar. "D-Don't stop 'till this is o-over Ce-Ced…" Then she dropped to the ground with a thud.

A cry of disbelief and anger sounded to the side, but Cedar made no attempt to look. Ignoring the rest of the world, he didn't even care what Harestreak was doing, or the warriors. His eyes were glued to Dove's eyes, watching as the life drained out them. In the corner of his vision he could also make out Sedgetail's body. The world seemed to sway in front of him until he was swept off his feet by the darkness and his body landed in between the others.


	9. Epilouge

_Finally, the end of this story is here. Sorry it took forever for me to get this up. I took a break in November to do NaNoWriMo and work on an original story I'm writing. Now that this is done I'll be working on that until I get it done, probably sometime before summer. Once that is done I'll probably start another fanfiction here, and maybe do a sequel for this as I have a few ideas to what I could do. Anyways, hope you all enjoy this chapter and all feedback is welcome._

* * *

 _Drip drip drip_. The incessant noise sounded from somewhere, seemingly far away. _Tap tap tap_. Another noise sounded, this time closer. _Thud thud thud_. The noises began to phase together. A trickle here. Inaudible murmurings there. Sounds came from all around. A cough. A yawn. A cry. Voices. Paws padding. The rain. The birdsong. Breathing. His breathing.

With a start, the pair of blue eyes shot open, a fog of confusion embracing the still groggy mind. It was a struggle for any coherent thought to form, to flow throughout his brain. _Where am I? What happened? What's going on?_ No answer was provided and the questions continued to ring throughout his head. _Am I alive? Who am_ _ **I**_ _? Why do I feel like fresh-kill?_

"Cedar?" The voice shook him from his mind and he jumped up in a panic, a growl emerging from his bared teeth. "Relax, you're safe. Everything's fine." The voice meowed.

Cedar felt his chest rising and falling painfully. His breath shook in his throat while his claws, still covered with blood, scraped against the stone floor. His eyes were still wide with panic and uncertainty. There was a pain emanating from his head, leaving a gap of darkness in his mind, preventing him from remembering much.

"W-Who are you? Where am I!?" Cedar half growled, half yowled. He took a tentative step forward before collapsing to the ground. He staggered back to his paws as he continued his advance towards the exit of the den.

"Cedar, It's alright. You're in the medicine den. You were wounded badly. Please lay bac…"

The voice cut off abruptly as Cedar swung a paw through the air in their direction. His vision was swimming all over the place, threatening to force him to the ground again. Blind in his confusion, he yowled as loud as he could, staggering this way then that. More voices joined in from nearby.

"He's gone crazy!"

"Stop!"

"Calm down!"

The voices did nothing to soothe him. A pressure on his side forced him to the ground, slamming him into the stone. He let out a few more moments of yowls before it turned into a whimper. The presences he had noticed around him were dead silent, shocked at the scene they were witnessing. He writhed on the ground before falling still, his labored breathing sounding as if he were still yowling.

After a while of being like this, his mind began to clear. The fog gradually faded away, his breathing slowed down, and his vision cleared up. Whimpers still escaped his mouth as he felt a paw that was keeping him planted firmly on the ground. It slowly loosened its hold on him, but he still lay where he was. "T-T-This can't be r-r-real." His voice shook while his throat burned as if he hadn't drunk anything in a century. "T-This is just a bad dream," he continued. "Right? Right…" His voice faded back into nothingness as his world swam back into darkness.

* * *

Several days came and went, each day just as chaotic as the last. This morning Cedar laid awake in his nest, a faint pain throbbing through his body. He barely even noticed it. The ache in his heart washed over it, burying it in the background of his mind. Slowly his memory of what had transpired returned to him, only making his pain worse and worse. Now he couldn't stop remembering it.

His thoughts were interrupted as a soaking ball of moss was placed gently at his side. Glancing upwards, his blue met with the hazel eyes of Seedstar. The slender she-cat stood over him, sympathy overflowing her eyes.

"How are you feeling today?" She inquired, her graying muzzle opening slightly to speak the words. Although she acted young and energetic, her years of experience became blatantly clear over the past days.

"Not good," Cedar muttered almost inaudibly, his eyes lost in the depths of his own sorrow.

"Drink." She ordered gently, knowing he would need to keep his strength up. Obediently, he lapped at the moss, the liquid doing little to comfort his mind. "Would you like something to eat as well?"

With a shake of his head, he signaled a no. Seedstar dipped her head politely and began to retreat towards the entrance of the den. Before she could make her exit, he called her back. "C-Can I see _her_ body?" His voice cracked as he asked the painful question.

A sigh escaped Seedstar as she stared at the young tom. "I know how much she meant to you," she began in an attempt to comfort him, resting her tail on his shoulder. He shook it off, his gaze staring intently at her. Another sigh. "I can show you where we buried her. Come."

It took a moment before the words registered in his brain. Slowly he made his way to his paws, his legs still shaky. He took a step after Seedstar before falling into her side, which she had pressed against him to support him. The pair made their way gingerly out of the den and into the opening.

As soon as he emerged into the opening, all the cat's eyes were on him, their voices falling away to silence. No one dared to say anything as they crossed towards the camp entrance. His paws barely lifted off the ground before they fell back down.

As they reached the exit, they were met by a surprised Sedgetail. She looked from Cedar to Seedstar and back to him. After a moment of looking between them, she stepped to the side and allowed them to pass by. Together, they made their way into the forest without glancing back at the camp.

The sun climbed higher and higher into the sky, although it was unseen due to the thick layer of clouds that hung there, capturing the dreary mood. After what felt like a lifetime, they stopped on top of a small rise in the ground, facing off into twolegplace. Seedstar stayed quiet and motioned towards a disturbed spot of dirt near the center. Cedar slowly left her side and limped his way over towards the mound. His eyes glued to it, knowing too well what was buried there.

He collapsed next to it, his eyes unable to look away. And there he sat. Time passed by, but was largely unnoticed by his grieving form. His thoughts wandered off leaving him as an empty vessel reminiscing on the past. She was the first cat he had met when he had come here. She sheltered him in the storm, helped him learn the area, and then gave up her life to save him. _How could this have happened? Where did I screw this all up?_

The feeling of a tail resting on his shoulder shook him back to reality. His gaze turned slowly towards the form of Seedstar, once again standing over him. The backdrop behind them had turned from a somewhat sunny day, to a blue painted sky. Night had befallen them as he had sat there grieving.

"Thanks for staying here with me."

There were no words that could have been said that would feel right, so instead she just licked the top of his head comfortingly.

"Thank you…" His voice began to drift off, carrying the pain and misery along with it as it made its descent into nothingness. "Thank you."


End file.
